Monthly Archives: November 2016

Admittedly, I had never heard of A Coruña, Spain prior to our visit. Located in the northwest corner of Spain on the Atlantic coast in the region of Galicia, A Coruña is noteworthy as the base from which the Spanish Armada set sail to conquer England in 1588. Even more importantly to me, however, it is the home of another UNESCO World Heritage site, the Tower of Hercules.

Morning in A Coruña, Spain

We were ready to disembark when our ship docked at 8 am. We took bus #3 to our number one sight, the Tower of Hercules, but unfortunately, found that it didn’t open until 10 am. Instead of waiting until the opening time to climb the 234 steps to the top of the tower, we contented ourselves with a tour of the grounds and the spectacular views from the base of the tower.

Jim climbing the hill to the Tower of Hercules

The only Roman lighthouse still in existence and the oldest lighthouse in the world, the Tower of Hercules was built by the Romans in the last half of the first century, AD. Originally named Farum Brigantium by the Romans, it has served continuously as a lighthouse since its construction, marking the entrance to La Coruña Harbor. The restoration in 1789 preserved the original Roman structure resulting in its designation in 2009 as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Tower of Hercules

Tower of Hercules

View from the Tower of Hercules

View from the Tower of Hercules

The tower is surrounded by a sculpture garden in a green space comprising 116 acres. The Doors of Hercules, on either side of the tower, are among the art pieces in the collection. The bronze doors, sculpted by Francisco Leiro, contain images representing the various myths and legends about the tower.

The Doors of Hercules, a bronze sculpture by Francisco Leiro

Next to the tower, the Portrait of King Carlos III, by Pablo Serrano Aguilar, struck me as incongruous until I did a little research and learned that he was the monarch who authorized the restoration of the tower. I first thought he looked like an American Revolutionary soldier who wandered into the wrong historical setting.

Portrait of King Carlos III

Legend has it the Celts, led by Breogán, founded Brigantia and built a tower on this site prior to the Romans. When his son, Ithe, spied Ireland from the top of the tower, he set sail for the island but was killed upon his arrival by locals. When his body was brought back to Brigantia, the family decided to return to Ireland to avenge his death and settled there permanently. (Per sign on-site.) The white granite sculpture, Breogán, by José Cid, commemorates this story.

Jim, Rick, and Lori next to Breogán

The mosaic, Rosa de Los Vientos, by Javier Correa, pays tribute to the seven Celtic peoples.

View of mosaic, Rosa de Los Vientos

Finally, the sculpture, Charon, by Ramón Conde, depicts the boatman who ferried the dead to Hades in Greek mythology. Hercules defeated him in a standoff when he faced the challenge to bring the three-headed dog, Cerebus, back from Hades.

Charon

There was more to see including a Muslim cemetery and we could have spent lots more time at the tower but we wanted to get to the historic quarter and the castle. We set off to walk the 2 kilometers to the old city by way of the new promenade along the water.

Promenade along the water in A Coruña

We stopped first at San Carlos Garden in the Historic Quarter where Sir John Moore is entombed. He died in the Battle of Coruña where he defeated the French. This peaceful and beautiful park is the perfect resting place for any hero.

San Carlos Garden

Then by chance, we came upon Santa Maria del Campo Collegiate Church from the 13th century and took a peek inside.

Santa Maria del Campo Collegiate Church, A Coruña

Santa Maria del Campo Collegiate Church, A Coruña

Plaza de la Harina, today called Plaza de Azcárraga, was the main square in the old city where grain was sold.

Plaza de la Harina, aka Plaza de Azcárraga

The Church of Santiago, built in the 12th century, is one of A Coruña’s oldest buildings.

Church of Santiago

Church of Santiago, A Coruña

Santiago, in Church of Santiago

Street in the old city

Gate in the old city

The Castle of San Antón was built beginning in the 14th century as a fortress to quarantine soldiers with a disease called “the fire of San Antón.” It later served as a prison for political prisoners as well as common criminals. Today it houses the Archeological and History Museum.

View of San Antón Castle

Grounds of San Antón Castle

San Antón Castle

Cistern at San Antón Castle

Borna, a replica, at San Antón Castle

Museum at San Antón Castle

Religious and funeral art at San Antón Castle

Following our visit to the Castle of San Antón, we strolled back to the modern, attractive cruise terminal. We enjoyed our first port of call in A Coruña very much with everything conveniently located near the cruise ship terminal or a short bus or tram ride away. We didn’t take the time to see the beaches, the new city of nearly 250,000, or shopping areas but we saw the historic areas that interested us most.

The European adventure that began with Keukenhof and Bruges took us next by train to Rotterdam in the Netherlands to board our ship, the ms Rotterdam, for a 14-day cruise to Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar.

Our ship, the ms Rotterdam

My research of ground transportation in these three countries led me to the perfect itinerary on the Holland America Line. As I’ve said before, if you want an introduction to a broad area and to sample places within it, a cruise is more efficient and affordable than arranging your own transportation, lodging, and meals. Then when you find your favorite places within the itinerary, you can always return and immerse yourself for a longer period.

Setting sail is always exciting and this trip was no exception.

Setting sail from Rotterdam

Rotterdam from the ms Rotterdam

Charming windmill in Rotterdam through a dirty window

We enjoyed scenes of Rotterdam, a city totally rebuilt following WW2, from the ship but when we reached the North Sea, the captain announced we would turn back to deliver a passenger with a medical emergency. Then a short while later, he announced a helicopter would instead evacuate the passenger. This was the first of three medical evacuations that occurred on this cruise which caused a ship staff person to tell a friend of ours that she had worked on this ship for 10 years and had seen a total of three medical evacuations in all that time. Until now, when her experience doubled within two weeks.

Rescue helicopter approaching

Following the excitement, we settled in for two days at sea which allowed us plenty of time to explore the ms Rotterdam.

Jim relaxing in our cabin

Our cabin

Our cabin

We usually cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line and this was just our second cruise on the Holland America Line. I choose cruises by a combination of itinerary and price and this one fit both criteria. Both NCL and HAL offer good service; clean, well-maintained ships; high-quality food; and good entertainment. HAL has a bit of an edge, however, with a sofa and bathtub in their standard ocean-view cabins and pay washers and dryers where passengers can do their own laundry. For a two-week cruise, that laundry option is especially important.

The ms Rotterdam, previously the Holland America Line’s flagship, is a beautiful, elegant ship with a capacity of 1400 passengers and 600 staff.

ms Rotterdam

Poolside area

Enclosed pool area with the retractable roof closed

With several sea days on this itinerary, we were able to enjoy the hot tub on the ship. None of us swam in the pool but many of the intrepid Dutch passengers seemed to enjoy it.

Lori and I ready to visit the hot tub

Jim, after the hot tub

The roof retracted on the pool deck

Art treasures on the ms Rotterdam

More original ancient art on the ms Rotterdam

ms Rotterdam

Casino on the ms Rotterdam

Entertainment in the theater

Theater on the ms Rotterdam

Rick, Lori, and I in the theater

A new offering in our cruise experience, the ms Rotterdam offered bridge lessons on our days at sea. We were “game” to try it and became regulars in class. Jeff, the instructor, was very helpful and soon became a friend and we enjoyed his company off the ship while on excursions as well.

Jim, Rick, and Lori practicing our bridge game

Our instructor, Jeff, assisting our group at bridge

View from the bow of the ms Rotterdam

We especially enjoyed the cooking demonstrations we attended with recipes provided for such dishes as Classic Spanish Paella, Saffron Shrimp and Stuffed Cherry Peppers, and Portuguese Mini Lemon-Orange Cakes.

One of several cooking demonstrations we attended

I’ll devote an entire post later to the outstanding food we enjoyed onboard but meanwhile, here are a few scenes from the main dining room.

Main Dining Room

Main Dining Room

A favorite special touch aboard the ms Rotterdam was the rug in the elevator which was changed daily. The rug announced the day of the week to us, a helpful aid on a long cruise when you have no responsibilities but enjoyment.

Day of the week rug in the elevator

After two days at sea, we felt very comfortable with our home away from home on the ms Rotterdam and ready for our first port of call, A Coruña, Spain. Come back next week to read about it.

Like this:

With just one full day to spend in Bruges, we had to be selective about what to see. We planned to begin early and see as much as possible in the short time we had.

After an early breakfast, we headed straight to the bell tower. One of the top sights in Bruges, it allows only 70 visitors inside at a time so we arrived well before the 9:30 opening to make sure we were first in line.

Belfry of Bruges

The bell tower, or belfry, was an important institution in medieval Bruges. The 272 ft (82 m) tower served as a lookout and a means of communication. The bell rang at different times with different tones to tell the people when it was time to go to work, break for lunch, close the city gates at the end of the day, call the men to battle, sound an alarm, or issue important announcements.

We climbed 366 winding, narrow steps to the top to see the clock mechanism, the carillon with 47 bells, and the view.

Stairwell in the Belfry of Bruges

Carillon in the Belfry of Bruges]

Reaching the top

View of the square from the Belfry

Bruges from the Belfry

Bruges

Bruges is called the Venice of the north so our next stop was a canal boat tour. For 8 euros we enjoyed views of Bruges from the canals accompanied by lots of historical information from our gregarious and knowledgeable driver.

Our captain was friendly and gregarious

View from the boat

Church of Our Lady viewed from the canal tour

Another boat meeting us

Canal boat tour

I loved all the swans in the canals

View from the boat

Canal boat tour

Canal boat tour

View from the water of Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce Hotel where the hitmen in the movie, In Bruges, stayed

Jim and I on the canal tour

Yet another swan photo

Belgian chocolates are world-renowned and we wanted to taste some and after tasting, we wanted to take some home. We found a lovely shop, Pralinette, selling exquisite hand-made chocolates where we purchased just what we wanted. I talked with the head chocolatier, Fangio De Baets, who explained to me that the chocolates were hand-made on-site with the best quality Belgian chocolate.

Jim in front of Pralinette

Inside Pralinette

Chocolatier Fangio De Baets

Fortified with chocolate, our next stop was the Church of Our Lady to view Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child. Dating from the 13th century, the church has been under restoration for the last several years with a completion date in 2017. Fortunately for us, the exterior was completed in 2011 and the scaffolding was removed so our view of the outside brickwork was impressive.

Church of our Lady

Inside Church of our Lady

Tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold in the Church of our Lady

Our primary purpose in visiting the Church of Our Lady was to view the sculpture, Madonna and Child. Sculpted from white marble, Michelangelo completed this piece around 1504 and it was his only sculpture to leave Italy during his lifetime. You may recall this sculpture was featured in the movie, The Monuments Men, as one of the art treasures recovered from the Nazis.

Madonna and Child by Michelangelo

Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child

Following our visit to the Church of Our Lady, we felt the need for a little refreshment so we stopped at St Janshoeve Restaurant for a waffle, another Belgian specialty, and a coffee.

Rick, Lori, and Jim relaxing at St Janshoeve

Waffle and coffee at St Janshoeve

Then it was on to Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Half Moon Brewery). On the brewery tour, they told us there are 1608 Belgian beers made in numerous Belgian breweries but only De Halve Maan Brewery is located in the historic center of Bruges.

Myself, Jim, Rick, and Lori on the brewery tour at De Halve Maan

Our tour guide telling us about the beer-making process

Tour at De Halve Maan Brewery

View from the roof of De Halve Maan Brewery

A family operation since 1856, today the brewery produces 5 million liters of beer each year. Transporting the increasing volume of beer to the outskirts of town for bottling caused a traffic problem of major proportions on narrow medieval streets. Thirty-six-year-old Xavier Vanneste, the current head of the company, came up with the idea to transport the beer by pipeline beneath the medieval streets of Bruges.We heard about the project which was underway when we visited in April 2016 and I read it was completed in September. You can read more about it from NPR here.

View of the pipeline under construction at De Halve Maan

At the end of the tour, we enjoyed our complimentary Brugse Zot beer made on-site along with a local cheese.

Brugse Zot beer and cheese

We didn’t see everything Bruges had to offer but we saw a number of the highlights. With only a day to spend, we felt we made a substantial dent in the sights of Bruges and left enough for a return visit in the future.

We first visited Belgium in January 2007 with our sons on holiday between college semesters. With an ambitious itinerary, we skipped Bruges and opted for Brussels instead. Even though we ate mussels in Brussels (and horse), when the movie, In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell, came out in 2008, I knew missing Bruges was a big mistake. So when we booked a cruise to Spain, Portugal, and Gibralter sailing out of Rotterdam, Netherlands in April 2016, I saw an opportunity to correct my error. We decided to go early and make a side trip first to Bruges.

We arrived by train late in the afternoon. As we exited the railway station, we looked around for a taxi and after a short wait, we found a ride to our hotel, Ter Brughe. I discovered this historic hotel dating from the 13th century on the internet and I believed it was perfectly situated within walking distance of all the sights we wanted to see. We were not disappointed.

Hotel Ter Brughe on the canal

Lobby at Hotel Ter Brughe

Breakfast room at Hotel Ter Brughe

Breakfast with a canal view

Swans in the canal outside breakfast room

The bar at Hotel Ter Brughe

Pre-dinner drinks at Hotel Ter Brughe

Our first priority after settling into our hotel was to locate dinner. We found Restaurant Bistro de Schilder in a nearby square, and while the waiter wasn’t especially engaging, the food was adequate. Lori and I ordered the white asparagus, a new experience for both of us and quite tasty.

Lori and Rick perusing the menu at Restaurant Bistro de Schilder

Chicken entree ordered by Rick and Jim

White asparagus

Jim and I enjoyed dinner in this charming square in Bruges

Statue of painter Jan Van Eyck in the square where we ate dinner

This was also our first experience with famous Zot beer, made in Bruges. We toured the brewery the following day but Jim and Rick each enjoyed a preview Zot with dinner, while Lori and I stuck with our usual red wine.

Zot beer

After dinner, we set off to find the historic central Market Place where we began our exploration of this unique UNESCO World Heritage site. Bruges (French), or Brugge (Dutch), is a superior example of a well-preserved medieval town. An economic and commercial powerhouse during the middle ages, it retains its Gothic flavor with narrow cobblestone streets and characteristic architecture.

Narrow street leading to the Market Square

Central Market Place in Bruges

Town Hall in Central Market, Bruges

One of many charming shops in Bruges

Central Market, Bruges

Jim in front of the statue of local heroes, Jan Breydal and Pieter de Coninck, in Market Square, Bruges

View from Market Square, Bruges

The best-known building in Bruges is undoubtedly the bell tower, dating from the 13th century. We enthusiastically planned to climb the 366 steps to the top the following morning for a panoramic view of this historic, captivating medieval town.

After our visit to Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands, I wanted to take the scenic route to Bruges, Belgium. A train ride through small towns in the bucolic Dutch countryside filled with tulips and windmills appealed to me enormously. Instead, we took the Keukenhof Express back to Schipol Amsterdam Airport and boarded the train to take the fast route to Bruges.

But first, we spent the night in Lisse at the charming Hotel De Duif .

Lisse, Netherlands

Lisse, Netherlands

Lisse

Hotel De Duif, Lisse

Jim in the lobby at Hotel de Duif

After taking a wrong turn and lugging our bags up the stairs not once but three times, we finally located our room and discovered it occupied two floors; the sitting room and kitchen were downstairs with a bedroom above, so we lugged our bags up one more time. Exhausted by this unexpected strength training after an overnight flight and a full day exploring Keukenhof, we wanted nothing more than dinner and bed asap.

We set off on foot to the main square just a couple blocks away to find a restaurant. Notoriously indecisive when it comes to picking restaurants, we chose Restaurant Den Ouden Heere after the usual amount of hesitation. Always a fan of outdoor seating with heaters, we sat outside with a view of the square. Our friendly and helpful waitress advised us that the special for just 9.50 euros would be a tasty choice and we were pleased with her suggestion.

Restaurant Den Ouden Heere

Kebab, salad, and potatoes at Restaurant Den Ouden Heere

It was early to bed and early to rise for us. The following morning, we enjoyed a tasty buffet breakfast at the hotel before one final walk back to Keukenhof to catch the bus to Schipol.

Breakfast room at Hotel De Duif

Breakfast at Hotel De Duif

Tulip on our breakfast table

Bike trail to Keukenhof

We stopped at the bench below for a photo of a bulb field and farm across the road from Keukenhof.

Scene of the crime

When I clambered onto the bench to get a view above the fence for my photo, a local curmudgeon accused me of having no respect if I would come to their country and stand on the bench. I was embarrassed and apologized profusely while I wiped the spot where I stood on the bench with my hand. Later, however, as Jim and I discussed the event, we decided that outdoor benches are built for sitting, standing, bad weather, bird droppings and a myriad of other events and this fellow was just having a bad day. Every other Dutch person we’ve met has been friendly and hospitable so this experience was unusual, to say the least. It made for a memorable story, however.

We were the only passengers on the double bus back to Schipol and when we arrived, we were astonished to see a huge crowd waiting for the bus’s return trip to Keukenhof. We appreciated the short line to board the bus on the previous day all over again.

Bus ride from Keukenhof to Schipol Amsterdam Airport

Line to board the bus to Keukenhof

We easily located the ticket counter in Schipol for the train to Bruges and headed straightaway to our platform. With hardly any wait at all, we boarded our train and sat back to view the countryside.

Bulb fields from the train

Bucolic countryside in the Netherlands from the train

Greenhouses for bulbs in the Dutch countryside

We switched trains at Rotterdam to head to Bruges via Antwerp. We would return to Rotterdam in two days to board our cruise ship so we looked around to familiarize ourselves with this station.

Platform at Rotterdam

At Antwerp Central Railway Station, amazingly, we encountered our friends, Lori and Rick, who arrived that morning from the U.S. and we had planned to meet that evening at our hotel in Bruges.

We could see why this station is reputed to be one of the most beautiful in Europe and we wholeheartedly agreed. Built at the turn of the 20th century, the glass vaulted ceiling allows light to bathe the stone and marble interior. The overall impression is both historic and majestic. We also felt quite safe with the Belgian military patrolling the station so soon after the March 22nd bombing of the airport in Brussels.

Antwerp Central Railway Station

Railway station at Antwerp with Belgian military in the foreground

When I originally checked train connections, I wanted to avoid backtracking to Schipol in Amsterdam and find connections directly from Lisse to Bruges. When I couldn’t make that work, we settled for connections from Schipol to Rotterdam, Antwerp, and finally Bruges with several stops in smaller towns along the way. In the end, surprisingly, our train journey to Bruges turned out to be the scenic route.